Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-30
TROPICAL CALIFORNIA.
a place where the Date Palm
Will Grow.

Will ~EVvts
The following letter by well-known
citizen, addressed to A. N. Towne, is
kindly furnished by him, with the
permission Of the writer, for pub
1ication in the Bulletin. 1t is worthy
Of a second reading for the infor-
nation it contains:
Nh. A. N. TowNE, GENERAL MAN
.aER SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY
Dear Sir: Your letter relative to my
visit and observations on date culture
ia the SO-called Colorado Desert, be-
tween the San Gorgonio Pass and
Yuma, duly received. l deferred
writing immediately after my return,
first, sfroms knowing that you were
away in the East engrossed in busi-
ness, and later, expecting to get an
snalysis of specimens of soil so that l
could dHend with my observations an
authentic statement OF the very pecu-
liar properties of soil existing in the
valley about Indio and Walters; the
former situated twenty and the latter
one hundred and ninety feet below the
level of the sea on the line OF the
Southern Pacific railroad in San Diego
county.
The peculiar conditions of extreme
heat with soil rich in all the ele-
mcnts of plant growth, and an atmos-
s,here absolutely dry during the whole
year, does not exist elsewhere on the
American continent. The valley
about Indic and Walters is an an
omaly in the United States. Shut off
from the direct breezes OF the Pacific
ocean by the San Jacinto mountains
On the west side of the valley, it basks
ia almost eternal sunshine. The cool
coast air, heated and rarefed in pas
sing over the arid wastes OF San Ber-
aardin0 and San Diego counties,
fushes down through the San Cor
gonio Pass ard strikes the San Bernar-
dino mountains to the north and east.
is detected back to the west side OF
the valley, where its force is dissipated
and lost in the torrid heat of this
rnountain-girt valley. In the central
portion OF this valley there is a little
belt Of country about twenty miles
long and from three to eight miles
vide, peculiarly adapted to the cult
walton Of the date palm, and which, l
believe, is practically the only place
in4the United States where the date
afthat forms the chief food of millions
df mankind in the ORIENT can be
raised with success and profit. The
date palm ia best grown in sandy
soil, strongly impregnated with lime,
and it even rejoices in strong alkaline
waters that renders the cultivation Of
many trees and plants impossible. 1t
requires also a dry and continuous, in
tense heat from the period Of bloom to
the period of ripening, to produce the
best and most luscious dates.
At some remote period i'll the past
the valley has been the bed OF a fresh
water lake, and the scattered growth
of indigenous palm trees skirting
mostly the base OF the San Bernardino
mountains to the north, is all the re-
m mains, in, all probability, of an almost
tropical vegetation in some preceding
age, when the Colorado tarried in this
once favored valley on its way to the
sea. AS the waters have receded by
evaporation or diversion the saline de-
posts have accumulated and the ex-
treme southeastern part OF the valley
is now a vast bed of salt. The portion
of the valley around and south of In
dio is certsinly the earliest fruit sec
tion in the State grapes ripen three
weeks before those of the most favor
cd localities in other portions of Cali
fornia. The country between Walters
and Indio and to the southwest of
these stations will produce grapes and
some of the deciduous fruits in as
great perfection as can be grown on
the Pacific coast The orange and
lemon can be grown with as good sue
cess as in the southern part of the
State, and of far more beautiful color
and greater sweetness. They will
ripen weeks in advance Of San Ber-
nardino or Riverside, and will remain
forever exempt from the null
titude Of scale insects that infest the
southern coast counties.
the experiments at the station at
indio have demonstrated the success
of numerous trees and plants, and not
withstanding their method OF irrigat.
ing during the heat of the day, or at
any time convenient, have given most
wonderful results. The cottonwood,
locust, willow and black walnut grow
with most extraordinary vigor, and l |
believe the fig, almond and pomegran-
ate will flourish just as well. The soil |
in this central part of the valley is of |
wonderful fertility mingled with the
zine, sandy loan there are slight de-
posts Of fine clay that have never
seen before; thoroughly mixed with
these deposits there are myriads of
fresh-water shell, from the fresh. water |
clam down to other species of almost
infinite minuteness. The soil must
have been ages in accumulating and
ages more must have passed before
the country reaching away to the
south was impregnated with the alkall,
dissolving so slowly from the rocks OF
the surrounding mountains.
At Walters the station is completely
embowered with immense grape vines
that seem to luxuriate in the alkaline
soil while to the north and west Tor
twenty-five miles, the dense CROWN
of mesquite and numerous gigantic
weeds would delight the heart OF an
Arab or dweller in the Soudan.
The surface water is found plenti-
fully at the depth of twenty-five feet
to the north and west of Indio, and at
twelve, ten, and even eight feet to the
south Of Walters. Alfalfa makes a
remarkahle growth wherever planted,
aad will be the great forage plant OF
tlis valley, and its roots in a short